EARNINGS

National Education Corp. 4th-Quarter Profits Up 30%

National Education Corp. of Newport Beach said profits in the fourth quarter of 1985 increased 30% to $4.6 million from $3.5 million. Revenues for the period were $47.3 million, unchanged from the year before.

For the full year, the company had profits of $12.5 million, including a $972,000 extraordinary gain from the sale of real estate and the company's home health care operations. In 1984, the company earned $12 million, including one-time gains of approximately $1.1 million. Revenues for 1985 were $183.1 million, up 5.3% from $173.9 million.

In a prepared statement, H. David Bright, president and chief executive, said increasing enrollments at the company's 42 education centers began in late 1985 and has continued into the first quarter of 1986.